Dana White: “PRIDE is a Mess”

In a recent interview on ESPNEWS UFC President Dana White did not provide a solid answer when asked in a reader fanmail segment on whether all of the PRIDE fighters moving to the UFC would likely mean the organization would merge rater than be run as separate entities.

White answered that “PRIDE is a mess” and that the business was not well managed and that is why they ultimately sold the organization in the first place. He also seemed to indicate that a lot of the PRIDE fighters who are coming to the UFC may not be doing so as a permanent deal but rather because all of the fighters would likely need to fight in MMA competition before PRIDE could potentially be reformed which has caused many PRIDE fighters to sign with or be rumored to fight throughout this year in the UFC and not in a reformed PRIDE organization in Japan.

While nothing definitive was said regarding the PRIDE situation White did not confirm speculation of an outright merger or confirm that PRIDE would eventually return which leaves many PRIDE fighters, as well as fans, without a resolution as to what may ultimately happen with PRIDE.